Post-combustion gas-burner of a hydrogen peroxide emulsion

ABSTRACT

A post-combustion apparatus and method utilize an emulsion of hydrogen peroxide, water and oil to enhance combustion efficiency. The apparatus includes a power-driven gear pump to supply the emulsion to an atomizer centered in a gas pipe. Also included are ignition electrodes for igniting a gas-fed burner and an ionization probe for controlling the combustion process. A separation cone protects the ignition electrodes and the ionization electrodes, and a cast-iron diaphragm drilled with holes promotes the dissociation of the emulsion.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to gas combustion and burners, whose function isto cause and maintain the combustion by mixing a fuel and an oxidizer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In known apparatuses of this type, some are of the atmospheric air typesuch as a VENTURI system or of the type having air pulsed by a fan.These devices have the disadvantage of using air as an oxidizer, hence aconsiderable loss of energy due to the fact that oxygen aloneparticipates in the combustion reaction, whereas nitrogen, a neutralgas, absorbs a considerable part of the power energy during theendothermic process of the chemical reaction and is evacuated in thefumes or, rather, combustion by-product gas.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention utilizes the differences in temperature of thehydrogen-oxygen flames, i.e. 3100 degrees K. (in relation to theabsolute degree °K.) and 260° K. in the case of hydrogen-air in theproportion of 1/2.4 per ccm. In order to become familiar with thecombustion process, an understanding of elementary reactions isrequired; it is not merely sufficient to identify the elementarychemical reactions. One also has to know the probability of reaction ofthe molecules concerned when they meet, since most of the collisionswill not give rise to a chemical reaction. The chances of reactiondepend upon the relative speed of the molecules at the time of theimpact; generally, the more violent the impact, the more chance there isof a reaction occurring.

As the frequency of the collisions and the molecular speed increase withthe gas temperature, the probability of reaction increases with thistemperature. As this inversion relates to hydrogen combustion, a simpleelement with "H" as its symbol, it appears necessary to give the mainparameters: atomic weight "1" in the classification:

    ______________________________________                                        Specific weight         0.08982                                               Density                 0.06948                                               Viscosity × 6.8   15.3                                                  M..sup.t                1.0080                                                1 dcm.sup.3 (1 liter)   0.0982                                                1 m.sup.3               89 gr 82                                              Cubic expansion coefficient                                                                           × 10.sup.6 3660.3                               Theoretic air necessary for combustion                                                                2.4/1 m.sup.3                                         Water steam 1 - PCS =   3.05 (th · m.sup.3)                          PCI - 2.57 (th · m.sup.3)                                            ______________________________________                                    

And the chemical reaction of the combustion:

    2H.sub.2 +O.sub.2 →2H.sub.2 O

In the present invention and in order to avoid the partial loss ofenergy, as mentioned above for nitrogen, an atomized emulsion ofhydrogen peroxide H₂ O₂, water and soluble oil is injected into theflame of the hydrocarbon or natural gas, right into the middle of thisflame, the gas burner flame being the "match" designed to cause andmaintain the post-combustion of the abovementioned emulsion. The blueflame produced by the gas, with a low radiating capacity, turns to ashade of orange with a high radiating capacity, thus increasingcombustion efficiency and yield by releasing the hydrogen and the oxygencontained in the emulsion. The initial heat power of the gas istherefore increased by the combustion of the hydrogen produced. Thereleased water turns into steam, according to one preferred embodimentof the invention. The means by which the emulsion is submitted topressure is a power-driven gear pump with an adjustable discharge flap,the soluble oil of the emulsion acting as a lubricant of this pump. Theburner also comprises a cone designed to separate the H₂ O₂ emulsionfrom the pre-ignition electric arc and from the combustion control ionicprobe; it also comprises a fireproof cast-iron disc at the front of thenose or nozzle of the said burner, which is adjustable lengthwise. Thisdisc is drilled with truncated holes (nozzles) designed to complete theemulsion dissociation and to "break" the H₂ O₂ molecules.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the means used to putthe emulsion under pressure can be effected by connecting it to the citywater network coupled to a hydrogen peroxide dosingmeter.

By acting on the emulsion flow rate, the device according to theinvention enables the flame temperature to be adjusted and maintained atthe optimum heat for emulsion molecule dissociation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a burner in accordance with a firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of a burner in accordance with a secondpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown, the device comprises a casing 1 and a cover 2 secured to thecasing 1, a nozzle 3 adjacent one side of the casing 1, a nozzle flange4, a gas-pipe 5 extending toward the nozzle 3 and an injector 6 at oneend of the gas pipe 5. A gas inlet tube 8 extending into the cover 2supplies gaseous fuel from an external source to the gas pipe 5. In thecenter of the gas-pipe 5 is a line pipe 9 having an atomizer 10. Anemulsion of H₂ O₂, water and soluble oil is supplied to the line pipe 9under pressure by the power-driven gear pump 11 which pump receives theemulsion from an external source. The device also includes gaseousmixture ignition electrodes 12 for igniting the gaseous fuel emittedfrom the injector 6 and an ionization electrode 13 for controlling thecombustion process and a cone 14 designed to protect the ionizationelectrode 13 and the ignition electrodes 12 from the atomized emulsiondischarged from the atomizer 10. The nozzle 3 includes, at its front, acast-iron diaphragm 15 drilled with a plurality of truncated holes 16adapted to complete the dissociation of the injected emulsion and to"break" the H₂ O₂ molecules.

In operation, the gaseous fuel expelled from the injector 10 iscombusted to form a burner flame with air supplied by a VENTURI system,a fan or other system well-known to those skilled in the pertinent art.Ignition of the burner flame is achieved with the ignition electrodes12. In order to enhance the heat power of the burner flame, an emulsionof hydrogen peroxide, water and soluble oil is discharged into a centralregion of the flame from the atomizer 10 under pressure applied by thegear pump 11. The resultant flame is directed through the nozzle 3 andits cast iron diaphragm 15. The plurality of truncated holes 16 in thediaphragm 15 complete the dissociation of the emulsion and "break" theH₂ O₂ molecules. As a result, oxygen and hydrogen are released whichassist combustion so as to enhance combustion efficiency.

Referring to FIG. 2, in a second preferred embodiment, the source of acontinuous supply of the emulsion comprises a dosingmeter 18 for addingdoses of hydrogen peroxide at controlled rates to a conduit 20 connectedto a city water network. In both embodiments, the soluble oil of theemulsion acts as a lubricant for the pump 11.

The device featured in the invention can be used on all gas-burners,enabling power to be increased by approximately 50% with no considerableadditional exploitation costs, owing to the hydrogen and oxygen producedby the dissociation of the H₂ O₂ emulsion.

The applications of the invention can be used with all gas-burners withan appreciable saving in cost and gain in safety.

It is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied inother specific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialcharacteristics of the present invention.

The preferred embodiments are therefore to be considered illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing descriptions and allchanges or variations which fall within the meaning and range of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for increasing the flame temperature ofcombustion gases, comprising the steps of combusting said combustiongases while injecting an atomized emulsion of hydrogen peroxide, waterand soluble oil into said combustion gases, whereby heat power of saidcombustion gases is increased.
 2. The method as set forth in claim 1,wherein said combusting step produces a burner flame and said atomizedemulsion is injected into said burner flame.
 3. The method as set forthin claim 2, wherein said atomized emulsion is injected into a middleregion of said burner flame.
 4. A device for injecting an atomizedemulsion of hydrogen peroxide, water and soluble oil into combustiongases so as to enhance combustion output, comprising:an injector; firstsupply means for supplying combustion gas to said injector, said supplymeans including a gas pipe; a line pipe positioned coaxially in said gaspipe; a source of said emulsion; second supply means for supplying saidemulsion from said source to said line pipe under pressure; means foratomizing said emulsion, said atomizing means being located along saidline pipe; and a nozzle downstream of said injector and said line pipe.5. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second supply meansincludes a gear pump.
 6. The device as set forth in claim 5, whereinsaid source includes a dosingmeter adapted to controllably add doses ofhydrogen peroxide to a mixture of oil and water.
 7. The device as setforth in claim 4, further comprising a diaphragm positioned downstreamof said nozzle, said diaphragm having truncated holes extending throughsaid diaphragm, whereby dissociation of said emulsion and of hydrogenperoxide molecules is enhanced.